What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was landing in grassy field, on roll out wing dipped and struck the ground. Ground looped, damaged tail boom. (.4)according to the pilot, after an aerial tow aloft he soared in thermals above nearby ridges as he flew toward the san luis reservoir. As the thermals began to dissipate he turned back toward Hollister and took what he described as the long route to [the airport]. The lack of available lift precluded making the airport and he landed in an open field. As the right wing dropped, the tip snagged in a large gopher hole and the aircraft ground looped, damaging the wing and empennage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS LANDING IN GRASSY FIELD, ON ROLL OUT WING DIPPED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. GROUND LOOPED, DAMAGED TAIL BOOM. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER AN AERIAL TOW ALOFT HE SOARED IN THERMALS ABOVE NEARBY RIDGES AS HE FLEW TOWARD THE SAN LUIS RESERVOIR. AS THE THERMALS BEGAN TO DISSIPATE HE TURNED BACK TOWARD HOLLISTER AND TOOK WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS THE LONG ROUTE TO [THE AIRPORT]. THE LACK OF AVAILABLE LIFT PRECLUDED MAKING THE AIRPORT AND HE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. AS THE RIGHT WING DROPPED, THE TIP SNAGGED IN A LARGE GOPHER HOLE AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED, DAMAGING THE WING AND EMPENNAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.